How experiential learning shaped six University of Florida MBA students

At the Warrington College of Business, learning doesn’t stop when class ends. Through hands-on experiential learning opportunities, graduate business students can customize and enrich their MBA journey.

Below are six MBA students who sought meaningful opportunities beyond the classroom.

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Bridgett Willis (MBA ’26)

After years of leading complex programs and teams, Bridgett Willis (MBA ’26) began looking for a program that could strengthen her understanding of finance, strategy and operations while allowing her to apply what she learned immediately.

“The Executive MBA format was a great fit for both my learning style and career stage,” she said. “The coursework was important, but I also wanted to build relationships, broaden my perspective and become more connected to the University of Florida community.”

To foster that connection, Willis became the Executive MBA class of 2026 cohort representative. In that role, she acted as a liaison between students, faculty, and administration, advocating for the needs of the cohort and ensuring her classmates were aware of the opportunities available through the MBA program and broader university community.

“The highlight of my UF MBA experience was being selected by my cohort to speak at graduation,” she said. “[It] was one of the greatest honors of my MBA experience and a reflection of the relationships and experiences that made the journey so meaningful.”

Willis also had the chance to connect with her peers in Berlin, Germany on a Global Immersion Experience.

“The collaborative entrepreneurial environment was inspiring and demonstrated how innovation can thrive when talented people come together around a shared vision,” she said.

Willis believes her experiences outside of the classroom complemented her academic curriculum, making her MBA journey more meaningful.

“Experiential learning allows students to connect classroom concepts to real-world situations,” she said. “It creates opportunities to develop leadership skills, build relationships and gain perspectives that cannot be replicated through coursework alone.”

She encourages prospective MBA students to explore hands-on opportunities.

“While coursework is very important in an MBA program, your professional and personal growth will be exponential if you fully commit to the experience.”  

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Liz Wilhelm (MBA ’26)

Liz Wilhelm (MBA ’26) participated in over seven experiential learning opportunities during her time in the MBA program. At graduation, she saw the impact of her involvement.

 “I had experiences with so many people crossing the stage. We weren’t simply names on a screen to each other, we had played TopGolf together, competed in trivia, explored the streets of Zagreb, hiked to the top of a castle together in Slovenia, maybe even watched the Gators score a few touchdowns,” she said. “While we did that, we reinforced business skills that will take our careers to the next level.”

For Wilhelm, taking her career to the next level is exactly why she applied to the MBA program.

While earning her degree, she was promoted to director of business performance at Intertape Polymer Group; but it wasn’t just the degree or coursework that made her MBA worthwhile.

“I knew coming into an online program that networking is inherently more challenging,” she said. “I appreciated that UF offered opportunities to network outside of course groups and cohort connections.”

Participating in simulations, listening to alumni and hearing from industry leaders helped shift her own perspective.

“At the end of each Summit, we worked under tight deadlines to produce a presentation not just explaining what we had learned, but applying it,” she explained. “I watched myself and my fellow MBAs navigate the dynamics of a group we’d never worked with before, and under real pressure, we produced some truly impressive ideas.”

Beyond her MBA Summit and conference experiences, Wilhelm attended a campus residency where she was able to participate in mock negotiations and practice product pitching.

In spring 2026, she travelled to Croatia for a Global Immersion Experience where she had the chance to listen to professionals and better understand an international business market.

Across her experiences, Wilhelm connected with business professionals and peers, expanding her network.

“UF has a powerful alumni network, but it’s up to you to take advantage of it,” she said. “The return is absolutely worth the investment.”

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Tony Agolini (MBA ’27)

At 47 years old, when Tony Agolini (MBA ’27), applied to the MBA program, he “decided it was now or never.”

“When I applied, I promised myself and the University of Florida that I would do everything possible to contribute to my own success and the success of our cohort,” he explained. “From day one of orientation, the message was clear: you get out of the MBA program what you put into it. I took that to heart.”

In spring 2026, Agolini traveled to Milan, Italy with his cohort to participate in a Global Immersion Experience.

“While we learned a great deal about business and culture in Italy, my biggest takeaway was watching our cohort evolve from classmates into family,” he said.

That same semester, Agolini travelled to Dallas, Texas for an MBA Summit that allowed him to apply what he learned in the program to a real-world case study.

“[The Summit] also included a series of in-person visits, whether at company headquarters or through conversations with successful UF alumni who spoke to our group,” he explained. “Most importantly, it showed us what success as a UF MBA graduate looks like.”

Beyond travelling, Agolini also served as the Executive MBA Class of 2027 Cohort Representative.

“It is great to be the voice of our cohort to the people who lead the UF MBA program, and it is also rewarding to serve as a leader and spokesperson within our cohort when decisions are made or feedback is needed,” he said. “It has given me a platform to help our cohort start its Gator Nation experience in a strong way, with a cohort representative who has always loved the University of Florida.”

Agolini sees experiential learning opportunities as instrumental to his personal and professional growth.

“They have allowed me to see the real-world application of the ideas, concepts and thought processes we discuss throughout the UF MBA program. Experiencing these concepts firsthand has helped me become a more effective leader, communicator and decision maker in my professional career.”

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Heaven Taylor-Wynn (BS Telecommunication News ’19, MBA ’26)

“The [value] in attending [experiential learning programs] is getting the opportunity to stretch beyond your comfort zone when it comes to learning about new business trends, industries and companies,” Heaven Taylor-Wynn (BS Telecommunication News ’19, MBA ’26) said.

As a single mom and now double Gator working full time as a communications coordinator for the City of St. Petersburg, Taylor-Wynn found that Warrington’s Online MBA program aligned with her professional goals and busy lifestyle.

“Although I didn’t have regular in-person courses with my cohort, I was able to stay connected virtually and meet people at the in-person experiences.”

Taylor-Wynn traveled to Charlotte, Orlando and Dallas to participate in various Summits to expand her network and sit in on sessions focused on brand narratives, customer experiences and the triple bottom line.

“You can research a company and its initiatives online,” she said. “But visiting its offices in-person during a Summit and having a conversation with employees about their work is more valuable to me.”

Beyond MBA Summits and conferences, Taylor-Wynn traveled to Chile with her cohort on the Fall 2025 Global Immersion Experience. For Taylor-Wynn, the opportunity to take her education beyond the classroom and into an international setting was a crucial element of her decision to return to school

“When I began applying for MBA programs in early 2024, I promised myself I would travel abroad.”

In Chile, she and her classmates were tasked with strengthening a family-owned winery’s marketing and digital presence while staying true to their heritage and identity as an authentic, craft-driven winery.

“Each of the experiences taught me something that I’m either applying in my current role or thinking about more critically as I move forward in my career,” she said. “I feel strongly that the relationships and experience are well worth it.”

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Chris Taylor (MBA ’26)

“I knew that I wanted to do and experience as much as I could during my time in the MBA program,” Chris Taylor (MBA ’26) said.

When Taylor retired from the Marines and sought to enhance his education, he needed a program that could match both the demands of his career as Vice President of Operations for a computer and network security company, and his responsibilities at home.

“There’s certainly value in putting your head down and just focusing on the courses,” he said. “But I wanted to get a depth of experience that I believe comes from engaging as much as possible.”

The University of Florida MBA program offered him the flexibility and the opportunities to dive into strategy, finance and brand management headfirst, both in and outside of the classroom.

In fall 2025, Taylor traveled to Chile with his cohort to apply his consulting experience in a real-world environment.

“The Global Immersion was by far the most rewarding experience I had during my time in the MBA program,” he said. “This experience gave me the chance to see a new part of the world, make recommendations to business owners for future strategy and deepen cross-cohort relationships.”

Chile wasn’t the only place Taylor traveled to.

In April 2026 he attended the Chicago MBA Summit focused on technology and transformation.

“This Summit gave us the opportunity to talk with UF MBA alumni who are working in the field of AI and technology transformation,” he said. “It was encouraging to see the significant impacts UF MBAs are making in the field of AI and data transformation.”

Earlier that year he attended the MBA Insights Series: Empower conference in Orlando, where he shared that the highlight again was interacting with MBA alumni.

“They encouraged all of us to pursue our entrepreneurial goals and dreams and gave us many of the required tools to do so,” he said.

Beginning in September 2024, Taylor engaged in three MBA residencies, which are two-day events designed to give online MBA students a chance to travel to Gainesville and experience life in the Swamp.

“Across the three residencies I attended, we went to a baseball game and two football games, all of which were amazing experiences,” he said. “The highlight of these weekends, however, was getting to interact with the professors who gave up their free time to spend with students discussing leadership, AI, management and various other topics. These interactions not only deepened our knowledge of the subject areas but opened the door to continued conversations.”

Taylor encourages his peers to get involved. Beyond trips, he served as a cohort representative, allowing him to deepen his involvement with the program.

“[The experiential learning opportunities] breathe life into the program and give students the chance to see different perspectives, solve problems they might not have otherwise gotten to solve and expand their network,” he said. “The more you get involved in, the better and deeper your experience will be.”

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Kate Bennett (MBA ’27)

“I think it’s important to take the time during the MBA program to lean and grow in as many different ways as possible,” Kate Bennett (MBA ’27) said. “I am always looking for the next opportunity to hone my skills, or grow in new, uncomfortable or unexpected ways.”

With a background in communications and entrepreneurship, Bennett saw the Warrington MBA program as a natural next step.

To really push herself, Bennett used experiential learning opportunities to enrich her experience.

“[Experiential learning programs] provide valuable insight into how industry leaders approach challenges and develop winning strategies.”

In Spring 2026, she competed in the SEC Case Competition in Texas.

“It was incredible to meet MBAs from across the SEC and better understand how they problem solve and collaborate,” she said.

With just 24 hours to research, build and present a solution, Bennett saw the case competition as an opportunity to test her skills under pressure.

“It’s a very different experience than just learning in the classroom or dissecting a case study,” she said. “That hands-on, practical experience and insight is invaluable.”

Aside from the competition, Bennett also attended the Building Brand Equity Dallas Summit that same semester.

“My biggest take away from the Dallas Summit was that even top brands, despite relentless planning, face unpredictability every day,” she said. “It’s how you plan for, and ultimately, rebound from that unpredictability that can make all of the difference between a successful brand activation and one that falls flat.”

Bennett encourages her peers to push themselves to engage in experiential learning opportunities to enrich their MBA experience.

“Networking and collaborating with industry leaders, alumni and other MBAs are an incredible part of the MBA journey that [is] best fostered through experiential learning.”